1. New England Patriots
The Patriots and Bills both played great on Saturday, with Tom Brady and the crew picking up a close win, 24-17. The Pats’ offense clicked. The running game was effective, picking up 143 yards and one touchdown (96 of that effort was from Sony Michel), while the passing attack picked up another score behind Brady’s 26-of-33 for 271 yards. That steady momentum was undoubtedly a defining factor in a time of possession that bested the Bills’ opportunities by 17 minutes!
The main attraction, however, was the line. And while the Bills did have an offensive lineman touchdown—a magnificent Big Man spectacle that’s usually automatic admission—it was the Patriots’ O-line that was really impressive. They lined up against a Bills’ fifth-ranked passing defense and held their own. Zero sacks and only a few hits on the Hall of Fame cargo—something not customarily seen this season. Brady noticed, too:
Shaq Mason, Joe Thuney, Marcus Cannon, Ted Karras, and Isaiah Wynn: Tops of Week 16!